A Complicated Sort of Thing
by mylonelyshadow
Summary: They don't really love each other; but their paths keep crossing. How will this not-so-fairy tale play out? ShikaTema... or maybe not? Hiatus...? i don't even know... Teen for later...
1. One Way

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, or the characters. I think that's pretty obvious, but hey, just in case someone thinks I'm cool like that, I'm telling it like it is.**

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Chapter One: One Way

_"The heart has reason which reason does not know." -?_

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The thing was, she didn't really love him. Temari didn't really love Shikamaru. Not as anything more than a friend. But after all they'd been through, no one would have believed her. It just didn't feel right to her, but all the pressure from people around her prevented her from saying anything. Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem; Temari could care less. But she did love him. Again, not like that. The problem was, she was pretty sure Shikamaru was in love with her. And try as she might, she just couldn't live with herself if she broke his heart. 

Temari hated the situation. Gaara and Kankuro's constant teasing and threatening about her liking Shikamaru got tiring really fast, even more so because they'd been doing it since the Chuunin Exams. At first it was mostly threatening like a light joke, but as Shikamaru's path crossed with hers more and more, her brother's began to get seriously concerned. Temari never really could tell if they wanted to encourage her or kill her because of her supposed infatuation.

Temari rubbed her forehead. She'd just returned from a boring C-rank prisoner escort mission from Suna to Hoshi and she was pretty exhausted from the lack of experience and expertise her companions had, thereby making her do all the real work. Being the sister to the Kazekage really didn't change the way people treated her, especially now that Shukaku was gone and Gaara wasn't so inhumanely powerful. (Don't get me wrong, he's still crazy strong).

Gaara told her after her mission report that she was being sent to Konoha again. Someone had to keep diplomatic relations well between them. Temari didn't understand why Konoha's shinobi couldn't come over to Suna once in a while, though Suna was still rather secretive and independent about a lot of things.

What bothered Temari most though, was that she didn't know if Gaara was really sending her to keep good relations, or to encourage her relationship with Shikarmaru. He was well aware that he was her escort the entire time, so he couldn't be against her and him as a pair, right? No wait, they weren't a pair, so it didn't matter. Temari glanced up at the clouds. There was a strange feeling in the air. She was really dreading this visit to Konoha, but could find no explicable reason why…other than him.

Temari sighed and set off.

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**A/N: I don't have much idea where I'm going with this, but since I find it so blatantly obvious that Temari and Shikamaru SHOULD by all means be a couple, I took the challenge upon myself to reverse it. Or am I? Haha. Even I'm not sure, but that's the angle I'm working at the moment.**


	2. The Other Way

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or the characters... sob**

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Chapter Two: The Other Way

_"You don't love a woman because she's beautiful; she's beautiful because you love her." -?_

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The thing was, he didn't really love her. Shikarmaru didn't really love Temari. Not as anything more than a friend. But after all they'd been through, no one would have believed him. It just didn't feel right to him, but all the pressure from people around him prevented him from saying anything. Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem; Shikamaru could care less. But he did love her. Again, not like that. The problem was, he was pretty sure Temari was in love with him. And try as he might, he just couldn't live with himself if he broke her heart. 

"Sensei?" Shikamaru glanced up lazily from where he'd been leaning peacefully resting his head on his arm at his desk. Being a teacher was so troublesome. The short brown-haired student was handing him a paper. "Done already. As usual. Go home Shizuka." The brown-haired student jumped in glee, grabbed her bag and ran out of the room, but not before sticking her tongue out at the rest of the class. The door shut with a loud bang and the whole class moaned. Shikamaru chuckled. Why was everyone in such a hurry these days?

Speaking of everyone being in a hurry, what was all this talk of him proposing to Temari tonight? Since when had all these people gotten the idea that they were an item? She was a diplomatic visitor, he her escort. That didn't mean they were dating. Shikamaru's head sank lower. His annoying mother had even given him money to buy a ring. "What lead everyone to the same damn conclusion?" He brooded.

Then his thoughts floated to Temari. The way she stubbornly blushed when he teased her. The way they were always insulting each other. The starry-eyed stares of the other villagers whenever she'd arrive and they'd walk together, talking bemusedly to the Hokage's office. It wasn't that he didn't love her. He couldn't deny that she was the only one, other than Chouji, who he felt most at ease with. The way he saw it, they understood each other. That was it.

But Temari probably thought it was more.

Well, if he did end up marrying the troublesome sand woman, he could learn to love her, couldn't he? His head pounded. He didn't want to marry her. He didn't want to love her.

A few more students came to turn in their essays. He took the papers and waved them off. Maybe Temari would help him grade these stupid essays later…

The noon bell rang. The students rushed up to his desk, throwing papers at him and raced out the door. Early days never did leave a lingering shinobi-in-training in the classroom. After gathering up said essays, though it was obvious that some of them were just doodles, Shikamaru left and headed towards the main gate into Konoha. She'd be here soon. Time to figure out what to do about the whole situation was quickly running out.

As Shikamaru lazily rounded the corner, Temari was already there, tapping her foot in irritation. "You're late, Nara." He laughed inwardly. "I was teaching, princess. Cut me some slack." An evil but amused grin played upon Temari's face.

Shikamaru frowned his characteristic frown and walked towards Temari with a burdened heart.

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**A/N: Still not sure where all this is going. I'm definitely taking comments into account, just know that I already had most of this chapter written before I got any feedback. Who knows how all this will turn out?!**


	3. When Two Paths Merge

*** I'm finding I don't like having an author's on the bottom. It ruins the effect of the story and cliffhangers. I want whatever feeling your left with to not be ruined by a note, so they will be at the top from now on.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything regarding Naruto.**

**A/N: Don't worry! This fic is going to take a lot of crazy and hopefully unexpected turns. Some people are going to hate me, some will love me. Nonetheless, I hope the story can be appreciated and enjoyed by all reading it in some way.**

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**When Two Paths Merge**

_"Marriage is not a ritual or an end.  
It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together  
and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance  
and your choice of partner."  
- Amy Bloom –_

There they were, the same old starry-eyed stares. Temari, of course, didn't seem to notice them at all. But she did. The pair walked quickly to the Hokage's mansion for a meeting with Tsunade that Shikamaru had, once again, made them late for.

"Well?" A vein pulsed in the corner of Temari's forehead. She was tired and hated always having to be the one to start whatever bits of conversation she could get out of Shikamaru.

"Well what, woman?" His arms remained tense behind his head while he gazed at the pink clouds against a setting sun.

"How are the little brats at the academy, Nara?" Temari tried to make conversation. Somehow Shikamaru seemed more unwilling than usual.

"Meh." He gave a small shrug. "Oi, you'll help me grade essays later, right?"

"Of course, you lazy-ass. You'd probably have been fired a year ago if it wasn't for me helping you catch up on work everytime I visited. Don't get me wrong—It's not charity. You owe me a favor."

Shikamaru chuckled. Well, at least she could get him to laugh a little, even if he wasn't willing to chat.

No further words were exchanged until they had arrived at Tsunade's office. There the usual diplomatic paperwork was updated and discussed. On matters that were of concern the Kazekage, Temari's brother Gaara, were brought up to ask for advice from the Hokage. Village relations were discussed in detail, as the relationship between Konohagakure and Sunagakure were shaky, at best, though they had recently been improving. Their was nothing special that set this meeting apart from any others Temari had been a part of in Konoha, so she thanked the Hokage and she and Shikamaru, who had been pratically dozing the last 20 minutes, got up and turned to leave.

"Shikamaru." The pair turned to face the Hokage, now standing behind her big desk. "I'd like to speak with you a moment. I'd want to tie up the loose ends of our last conversation." Tsunade said with a conviction that made Shikamaru shudder.

"Ahh. How troublesome." Shikamaru said. The air had changed. It was almost daunting. He turned briefly to Temari and looked her straight in her sea-green eyes. "I'll see downstairs, woman."

"Fine." Temari snapped, averting her eyes from his deep, dark ones. It was her natural reaction to the change in the air. "Just don't take your time Nara. I'd like to get situated in my room before dawn so I have a chance to sleep, after all."

The door shut behind her and Temari trudged downstairs to wait on a bench just outside the front doors.

To her great surprise, she didn't have to wait long at all. No sooner had she sat down and began to contemplate the full moon in the night sky than the lazy-ass ninja of Konoha came out the front door.

"Sorry if I kept you waiting." Sincerity soaked through his sentence and dripped off the sides.

"N-not at all." Temari's heart was beating fast. Something was definitely up. There's no way he would have come out of Tsunade's office with such a resigned and dutiful attitude if it had simply been a reminder to turn in his regular escort paperwork whenever she visited Konoha.

The two began their brief walk to the guest quarters where Temari always stayed. Temari mostly stared at Shikamaru, trying desperately to figure him out. Shikamaru was fidgeting. He was fidgeting too much and Temari was getting nervous. What had Tsunade said to him in there?

"Temari… Temari, I—" Shikamaru, realizing he was being rather out of character, simply pulled the ring out of his right-hand pocket and silently offered it to her under the moonlight, his own face looking away like he was either blushing or ashamed.

Temari was dumbfounded. She'd expected it. But…but she found it a lot harder to play out her imaginations in reality than in her head. Temari grabbed his hand, staring down at the ring as if it was going to tell her what to do. "Shikamaru. I—"

Silence. Shikamaru continued to look away. No animals could be heard scurrying around. No breath was being taken. Even the lights in the windows of homes and shops along both sides seemed to have frozen. It was like the world had stopped turning.

"Shikamaru." He lifted his head up towards her face, as if fighting against gravity. "Shikamaru, I… I—"


	4. Fork In the Road

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.**

**A/N: My mind has been racing with ideas. I've been looking up lots of love quotes and they have really inspired me to continue this fanfic. Do you hate me yet?**

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**Fork in the Road**

"_A Friend's Love says:  
'If you ever need anything,  
I'll be there.'_

_"True Love says:  
'You'll never need anything;  
I'll be there.'"  
- Jimi Hollemans –_

Before Temari could say more, a loud cheer erupted from all around them. A surround sound of joy from the eavesdropping villagers. Both Temari and Shikamaru flushed and scooted away from each other, furious that neither noticed the presence of any of these no good spies.

Shikamaru groaned. This was beyond troublesome. It was enough that he'd had to propose to her, but now he couldn't get a real answer out of her—couldn't learn whether she loved him or if he wasn't the only one with the desire not to be together till death do us part.

Cries of congratulations poured out from every nook and cranny the little center of town could hide. The worst part about it was that the awkward couple in the center was starting to recognize bunches of the unfortunately not-so-anonymus crowd. Naruto's voice was distinct among the cheers—an occasional "dattebayo!" and whoop from the loud-mouth ninja as he high-fived an equally enthusiastic Rock Lee. Kiba was laughing happily nudging Hinata off to left of Temari. If either of the two in the center had turned around, they'd have seen Tsunade nodding approvingly, a satisfied aura billowing around her slightly gruff exterior.

And to Shikamaru's utter horror, his best friends Chouji and Ino stood in front of the first building to his left, huge, sincere smiles adorning their faces. They were holding hands, as they had been dating for almost 4 months now, and giving Shikamaru the thumbs up. Shikamaru planted a slight ironic smirk on his face before turning to finally face Temari. He had no idea what to expect.

Though he had always had a hard time reading her face completely, it was obvious, at least, that Temari was pissed. She grabbed Shikamaru by the collar, almost causing him to drop the inexcusably expensive ring, and she ran as fast as her ninja legs would carry them towards the Hokage Mountain. Shikamaru finally gained his footing and was able to run himself, but Temari never let go of his collar. "You could let go you know. I'm a grown ninja and quite capable of keeping up with you all by myself, princess."

"Shut up Nara, crybaby! I'm surprised that with as little attention you were paying to me that you didn't notice the entirety of Konoha watching us like a movie from the rooftops and alleys just now."

"You didn't notice them either Your Highness." Shikamaru grunted.

"I was kinda paying attention to you and your weird behavior. I thought you were man enough to look me in the face for such an important moment in our lives." There was a silence. They'd just reached the mountain top, bare and flat and easy to spot any spies within hearing range. Both stood, catching their breaths.

Shikamaru paused. Had she just said "_our_" lives?


	5. Road Blocks

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.**

**A/N: Not a well written chapter at all. Not exciting either. Ugh, I'm disappointed in myself. Oh well, at least I'm trying to work on the story… But trust me, it needed to be here, or the story would really have gotten confusing (more so than it already is).**

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**Road Blocks**

_"There is only one happiness in life,  
to love and be loved."  
- George Sand –_

"Damn it, Kankuro." Gaara said aloud as he began to re-file the misfiled paperwork, thanks to a certain brother he sometimes wished he didn't have. "I ask for a simple favor before he leaves and he can't even do it right."

Gaara had been particularly irritable the last couple days. Whether they noticed it or not, no one would have ever said so. The Kazekage paced his office, tired of straightening out the rush job Kankuro had done earlier. Even a task like this could not distract his mind from other matters. First and foremost, his council was being difficult—not wanting to approve of any of his recent decisions concerning the village. Any attempt to start improvements to the four main watch towers or crackdown on black market weapons sales in 9th district had been denied. Missions to the smaller towns bordering Suna to extend an offer to help repair damaged buildings or fields also denied. The truce between Suna and Konoha was still on rocky ground and Gaara had been putting a lot of time and effort into convincing the council that a solid peace treaty would greatly benefit them, but at every meeting the old traditionalists would insist that Konoha had nothing to offer them, only everything to take. And on top of that, his repeated proposal to invite a diplomatic representative from Konoha had been shot down without much argument or second thought.

Gaara was losing his patience.

Then there were the rumors. Rumors had been flying around the village about his brother and sister, and Gaara was not about to put up with their disrespect for Kankuro or Temari.

"She is a slut!" They started saying. "Did you know that she is buying favors for Gaara by selling herself in Konoha! Those ninjas have no respect."

"Maybe Gaara-sama asked her to do it? Maybe she's trying to infiltrate?"

"I doubt it! Temari-san is much too strong to stoop to that. She must have a lover! She is a traitor to her village and Gaara-sama doesn't even know it!"

"Where does Kankuro-san fit in to all this? I mean no one really sees him anymore. He's always off doing top-secret missions at Gaara's bidding, or that's what they say. I think he's gathering up a group to overthrow the Kazekage and take his rightful place as older brother in the family…"

"Listen to yourselves! Gaara-sama saved us! He would never betray Suna nor would his siblings!"

"Really? Then how do you explain the council's behavior? Awfully defiant lately; don't you think something must be up?"

Argh! It really angered Gaara hearing these things and he was working himself up again thinking about it. Lucky for those he heard it from, he knew better. His patience had also grown a lot since the burden of Shukaku was removed from him. As the Kazekage however, he needed trust and respect from the villagers. He thought after Chiyo baa-san had returned him to life and Shukaku gone that the village had finally come to their senses as had he and that the village would be headed in a brighter direction. And it was, at first. Sadly, the glory of actions like Chiyo's sacrifice diminishes over time. What once united a village, a nation, is too quickly forgotten.

However, none of this was what was really bothering Gaara. He walked to the large window that faced in the direction of the leaf village, full moon in plain view, and shut his black lined eyes.

"She should be finding out about now. I wonder if she'll love me or hate me after this."


End file.
